Mechanical musical instrument.



No. 627,999. Patented July 4, I899.

F. GRONAU. MECHANICAL MUSICAL msmu'msm.

(Application filed Feb. 38, 1898.) (No Model.) 5 Sheefs-Sheet I.

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Patented July 4, I899.

FfGRONAU. MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT;

Application filed Feb. 23, 1898.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 (No Model.)

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No. 627,999. Patented July 4, I899. F. GBONAU.,

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

[Application filed Feb. 33, 189B.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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III/III/I/ It No. 627,999. Patented July 4, I899.

F. GRONAU. 1

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

[Applicaflon filed Feb. 23, 1898.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRIEDRICH GRONAU, OF LEIPSIC, GERMANY.

MECHANICAL M USICAL INSTRUMENT;

srncrrrcnrron forming part of Letters Patent No. 627,999, dated July 4., 1999.

Application filed February 23, 1898. Serial No. 671,812. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRIEDRICH GRONAU, a subject of the King of Saxony, and a resident of Leipsic, Kingdom of Saxony, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Musical Instruments, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The present invention relates to improvements in mechanical musical instruments; and it consists of the details of construction hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto annexed.

' In order to render the present specification more easily intelligible, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which'similar letters of reference denote similar parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a cross-section through an apparatus embodyingniy invention; Fig. 2, a part central longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a cross-section showing devices for applying the brake to the operating-disks by hand or mechanically; Fig. 4, a detail view of a modified-form of hand-operated device; Fig. 5, a detail view of a pneumatically-operated note; Fig. 6, a longitudinal section through Fig. 5; Fig. 7, a detail view of the mechanism adapted for string instruments, and Fig. 8 a longitudinal section through Fig. 7.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the valves 5, producing the various notes, are arranged on a rotary hollow disk S, having openings 1) beneath the said valves, said disk being mounted on a rotary shaft a, adapted to be turned by means of a handle or pulley or the like. Through the hollow end of the shaft a wind is supplied to the interior of the hollow disk, and when one of the valves .9 is opened the note corresponding to the same will be played. These valves are each operated by a disk A, loosely mounted on the shaft Cb, but having only a limited movement around the same owing to the pin 0 of the said shaft engaging with a slot in the boss of each disk, as will be clearly seen from Fig. 1. At each end of the series of disks A is mounted a set of arms carrying boards R, extending through the hollow parts of the disks from one set of arms to the other, said boards or strips serving as a means for guiding a series of flexible cords or tubes m, each of which connects one of the disks A to its corresponding note or valve The way in which these cords are guided will be clearly seen from Figs. 1 and 2. Each cord passes over a guide-roll mounted in front of its respective valve, and its end is then attached to the said valve, so that if any one of the disks is arrested while the shaft a and the guide-strips R continue to rotate a pull will be exercised on the said strip which will cause the valve to open. The disks are arrested by a series of brakes B, pivotally suspended on double-arm levers B, connected by links I) with the lever'arms B which are normally spring-pressed upwardly, so as to pass into the orifices of the note sheet or disk N, passing above it, if such orifices correspond with its position.

The operation of the device is very simple. As soon as the lever-arm l3 rises into an orifice of the note-sheet N it raises one end of the lever B by means of the link B and applies the brake in question to its respective disk A, thereby arresting the said disk for a moment. This causes a relative movement between the disk and its shaft and exercising a pull on the flexible connection m, which opens the valve and produces the sound requiredt'. 6., the sound corresponding to the disk arrested. As soon as the orifice of the note-disk passes over the end of the lever B the latter is again depressed and the valve released. The spring f of each reed-valve is sufficiently strong to close the same and also to pull the disk A back against its pin 1' after the brake has been released from the said disk.

Obviously by applying the brake B to any number of the disks simultaneously any nu mber of notes may be operated simultaneously.

In Fig. 3 a brake B is illustrated, which may be operated by means of a keyboard, as shown at B if it is desired to play the instru ment by hand. In this case the note-diskis retained stationary, and the brake b which may form part of or be integral with the key B is operated by hand by means of the said key.

In Fig. 4: another form of-hand-operated brake mechanism is shown, according to which a band-brake B is employed, which is tightened onto the disk A when the keyB is depressed.

In Figs. 5 and 6 the Wires or lines mare replaced by pneumatic tubes 41, which establish communication from a bellows D of the disk A to a similar bellows D, arranged between the valve-cover and the disk to which the latter is hinged. The operation of this device is such that when one of the disks A is arrested the bellows D, one part of which is fast tc or integral with the part R and the other part to the disk A, will be compressed and air forced into the bellows D of the valve along the pipe at. This opens the valve against the pressure of its spring f, causing the note to sound, while after the disk A has been released the springf opens the bellows D again and returns the parts to their inoperative position. In this case the brakes B may also be operated by hand or mechanically.

' In Figs. 7 and 8 strings K are substituted for the reeds s I), the hammers H being operated by the jack-levers or fly-levers p, which are worked from the disks in the manner described with reference toFig. 1 by means of the flexible connections at.

It will be'obvious that instead of the wires or cords or flexible tubes electric conductors could be applied and the valves worked by magnets in a manner which will be obvious to any one skilled in the 'art and needs no illustration.

The mechanism could be altered in many ways which would readily present themselves to any one skilled in the art; but

I claim, broadly, as my invention- 1. The combination of a series of revolublymounted sound-producing organs, a series of operating-disks to revolve with said soundproducing organs, flexible connections to connect said organs with one disk each,and means for intermittently and periodically arresting any number of said disks so as to cause relative motion between the same and the rotary disk carrying the sound -producing organs substantially as described.

2. The combination of adisk having mount ed thereon a series of sound-producing organs, a rotary shaft to which said disk is attached, a series of disks mounted on said shaft and having limited play thereon, and means for arresting one or more of said disk-s simultaneously, intermittently and periodically and means for connecting each disk to one sou ndproducing organ to operate the latter by means of'the relative motion of the arrested disk and the rotating note-carrying disk substantially as described.

3. The combination of aseries of revolublymounted sound-producing organs, a series of disks mounted to revolve therewith but having limited play on their shaft, a series of brakes to arrest said disks, having levers connected thereto and extending into the path of a revolving or moving note sheet or disk, a series of flexible connections extending between each disk and sound-producing organ in the manner and for the purpose substantially as described.

at. The combination of a series of revolublymounted sound-producing organs, a series of revolubly-mounted disks to rotate therewith, a limited play for each disk on its shaft, a bellows adapted to be compressed when the disk is relatively moved on its shaft, a hollow connection from said bellows to the sound-producing organ, a bellows in connection with and operatively attached to such organs, and to which said hollow connection is connected, a series of brakes to arrest said disks periodically and intermittently, and means for rotating said shaft and disks substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

FRIEDRICH GRONAU.

Witnesses:

HERM. SACK, RUDOLPH FRIOKE. 

